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Also the cold steel series is much more grand considering how much built up it had ever since FC and the first 2 games are for the most part just a set up for the 3rd and 4th entry. You can for the most part say CS 1 and 2 are FC in terms of what they do. At the end of both games something is released just like in FC. And that something is going to be the main focus for getting the sept terion of this saga. We can't really judge the story so far because of it. However they have been doing great building up so far just like how other trails games did. With the bone dragon under heimderl , the giant statue in the nord , the temples, Angelica mentioning his "friend who loves to gamble" , the legram castle and the dark books (what were they called again?) etc etc....
Anyway, compared to the other ones we have had so far (Estelle , Kevin and Loyd) , Rean is probably my least favorite one. I do like him as a character infact seeing Loyd and Rean clash towards the end of the game was really emotional for me but so far , for the most part, he is not as interesting as the other ones. I am really looking forward to playing the 3rd game though since he seems to become a teacher in that which is not something that I have seen in many J-Rpgs. Usually you are the student or the hero but now we are a teacher. Should be interesting.
-EDIT-
I am curious as to whats coming after Erobonia though. Like Osborne was being built up ever since the first game and while we do have quite a number of built up for Calvard , it is nowhere near as much as Osborne had. Btw so far I love Osborne. Just his presence is enough to give em the shivers. The guy is amazing and I love him. 10 out of 10 , Osborne best waifu confirmed.
Well the thing for Thors is, in CS1 you have to revisit it every single time after a mission, it just gets old after the 3rd time. While you can say the same for Crossbell games, that it has one main hub--the Crossbell city, it is larger and more varied story-wise.
I think the problem for CS's story is that it's draging the main plot for way to long, too much school life and other filler stuff that are not very relevant to the main plot, the main plot moves at snail's pace even compare to Sky.
Also it somehow feels a lot cheesier, too much deja vu. Rean's super power is pretty cheesy already, Does Crow really needs to sacrifice himself, Loewe the 2nd much?
I was just getting started on CS3, not sure Rean is the MC anymore, as he is not initially playable. Speak of which, CS3 seems to use a completely new engine, the character looks a bit different now, it also seems to have higher budget that the characters are better animated, as it is a console exclusive not a handheld. But those aliasing really bothers me lol, and PS4 slim was not able to maintain a consistant framerate. It could will be much better on PC, but it would take years.
I love Crossbell city but not gonna lie I actually like the thors students more than most of the NPCs in Crossbell. I like the Crossbell citizens its just not as much as Liberl and Thors ones. Going back to Thors after a field study feels really good to me since its time for me to get relaxed. I REALLY love the thors students.
Crow "technicaly" doesn't sacrifice himself its just he ended up getting impaled instead of Rean. Its karma catching up to him.
As for CS3 I can't say much since I haven't played it yet. I was accidently spoiled to certain things but I am trying to forget them. One thing I can say about that game however is that Fie's outfit is like super fanservicy. I originally liked it because I only saw the character portrait but when she moves in that thing .........well lets just say that skirt is not meant for covering anything. I might buy Fie's DLC outfit if she has any just to ditch that thing.
Rean Schwarzer IS THE MAN!
I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone on this one. Rean is a lowkey kind of awesome; he doesn't strike cool poses or shill action one-liners. He's the straight man in a world on the brink of madness.
Rean feels like he was a burden to his family - his parents were derided for adopting him, to the point that they withdrew from public life - so the moment is able to leave the nest (attend Thor's Academy) he wastes no time doing so. He has basically run away, and finds a new family in Thor's. With no regrets here, he easily fits right in his new family. All is well and good... until Elise comes knocking.
He is aware of Elise's feelings, but feels she should be with "a better man". He always downplays his own efforts, like saying he was only a beginner who dropped out of Eight Leaves training and is therefore nothing special (though if you've ever played a 'Trails game before, you know that even beginner level users are worthy of serious respect).
For Rean, there is no shame in sentimental monologues and uplifting speeches. To him, it doesn't matter if they are "corny" if they are true.
Perhaps he feels like he must earn his place in the world with hard work, by pushing himself into situations well above his paygrade (read: trying to solve a terrorist plot with hardly any info to go off and a prayer that everything will turn out alright, or fighting highly coordinated terrorists with incredible power at their disposal). Or maybe he feels like he must be "punished". When praised for his efforts, he always says it was only because of the team (which is true, but ignores the real issue at hand). He also believes that he is a danger to those he loves, so he keeps them at arms length from himself.
Worst, he causes all of his loved ones grief by doing so:
- Walks out of his parent's life after they gave him unconditional love. Imagine if your child suddenly moved away and refused to talk to you after everything you did for him.
- Ignores his sister's feeling when he could at least give her a yes/no confirmation so she can move on with her life rather than scratching her head in confusion and anguish.
- Constantly worries his friends by pushing himself into dangerous situations, thereby dragging them into his plight because they feel like they have to help him out.
Rean Schwarzer lives in an uncertain world (more uncertain than ours perhaps, considering that the very foundations of the world order is being called into question) and has alot to think about. He wants to be the embodiment on the white knight - the quintessential hero - and knows very well that it isn't realistic. He strives for it anyways, because he believes in that ideal, no matter what happens. Despite his own uncertainty, he presents himself as a foundation for his friends to latch onto and confide in him. If his friends can be confident in him, than maybe he can be confident in himself, and overcome his insecurity. If he can be catalyst for a happy ending in another person's life, then maybe he can have one in his own. The audio drama (give it a read on the official website) about the off-screen trip to Ymir in between chapter 6 and the finale cemented it for me.[www.trailsofcoldsteel.com]
Wow
Cassius, Alan Richard, Olivier, Bleublanc, Crow, Jusis... they might be the "coolest" characters in the series, but when it comes to the most compelling? Estelle and Rean hands down. I'm absolutely HYPED to see where he goes in CS2!
More than Estelle and Joshua. Not that I disliked them or anything.
If Falcom actually expects us to believe that Rean's ultimate victory over Osborne is believable, they need to show Rean as actually capable of fighting the chancellor without being outmaneuvered left and right. The ending of CS2 on the other hand did a pretty good job convincing me Rean is out of his league and is too fragile emotionally to handle the bodycount that stopping someone as ruthless as Osborne would require. Rean can try to avoid casualties all he wants, but the chancellor is not obliged to match that restraint, and we've already seen Osborne is prepared to get lots of people killed to fulfill his ambitions.
Rean's insecurities interest me only insomuch as they're something he needs to overcome to win in the end. I could care less about the actual resolution of his personal insecurities since I don't sympathize with them. Considering Falcom's inability to craft a tight enough narrative that can encompass this resolution without dragging the CS arc into 4 games, I would have gladly traded Rean for some other protagonist that didn't have these problems.
I personally like Crossbell a lot more, it's pretty much like Gotham City with tons of bad guys and super villains. Personally I think the villains and antagonists are the most interesting characters in this series, they also provide enough conflict to keep the story interesting. Whereas in Thors, the only thing that keeps it interesting for a while is the noble vs commoner theme, otherwise it's pretty much just filler. It really gets boring when the whole place is 99% good guys.
I feel like Crow's story is way too much like Loewe, and his death is forced. I like Crow's character, I think he would be a more interesting MC, but the writer sort of just forcing the Loewe story onto him.
Speak of fan service, Falcom really up their standard to AAA JRPG level in recent titles, from now on we have mandatory bikinis for all female characters like most JRPG out there. For me, more eye candies is always a good thing.
Err, Rean strikes the same silly pose every single time when he summons Valimar, it's cheesy AF almost cringe worthy.
Bleublanc is not cool at all...He looks like a damn prevert. For that reason I would not describe Olivier as "cool" either.
Estelle ain't bad, because she actually grows from naive to a strong dependable MC in SC. Where as for Rean, not so much, I even go as far as to say he is worse in CS2 than in CS1, so don't get hyped lol. I hope he is better in CS3 and CS4, but I would not get my hope up.
I think he is okay in CS1, but just got worse in CS2. He is the only MC with super power and a
super Mech, yet he always rely on motivation from friends and allies. He simply does not have the resolve and determination that the other MC have.
You spoke my mind. The game itself is good, the world building is good, but the main plot really feels dragged, too bloated and too much building not enough going.
*thinks CS series has too much school life*
I am super glad they didn't make me play *every* 'boring' day in these games.
I can agree the plots being a bit neandering when it comes to pacing, but when it does make progress it really does make a lot.
I have a feeling that it's following a 3 act structure and just the first act is the first two games.
Pacing wise it's the only thing that makes sense, since the middle and last act of the story usually is where most of the 'meat' is. 4 is likely going to be extra long compared to the first three and provide closure + hype up the next trails series.
Just be glad that these series are literally interconected guys.
As much as I love the 'Tales' series to death, the only 'connected' games are Symphonia and Xillia with their sequel.
For example I was just at the scene with Gaius standing up for his friends against the noble students.
He doesn't use insults , or violence but instead handles it very peacefully and maturely. That is a great character moment and its not the only one .
In CS2 the game is a bit TOO focused on Rean. Which I get why they are doing , they want to put him in despair and drawn in his "power". Which was handled pretty well I will compliment that BUT I think they could have had other characters have more moments. Alisa has her sidequest which was really great. Sara had her jeager moment which was again great, especially considering that particular jeager corp is the one that Kevin encountered in 3rd. (If I am not mistaken) . Gaius has the moment where he saves his friends while riding on his horse. Anyway the point is while the characters do have their moments in the second game , it feels like thats it.
For example EVERY TIME (with the exception of maybe Jusis ) Rean finally meets with one of his friends they only focus on him. Its like the other ones don't exist. Like seriously why don't you hug Elliot , he needs love too you know!!!!! It is 100% trying to make the player "feel special". Oh yeah the player is special and is the only one that matters when it comes to his group of friends. Sure gotta make this nerd feel special because now they are playing the role of a student and not a dtective , priest or a bracer (MAN Estelle is GREAT!!!)
Its the same problem the persona games (at least the 3rd one , havent played the others yet) have. The main character is the only one that matters when it comes to this group of friends.
Now of course you are going to have the main character more on the center but the first game did a much better job at it.
Just to make sure though , I do like Rean and his arc hasn't beend finished so we can't really judge him completely BUT in CS 2 (which is a great game all things considered) he was a bit TOO much in center when it comes to the relationships between class 7.
This pretty much sums up the problem in CSII's narrative
I want also to add that there isn't enough friction and conflict between the characters, despite having plenty of opportunity with the whole "bringing a terrorist and murderer back to school" Plan.
While Drama for the sake of Drama is bad, so is the opposite of having everyone just go along with Rean.
Jusis for example should not have joined when he did. But he had to join because the whole story is about Rean bringing Crow back and we can't have any extras like Jusis occupy Reans quest.
I have played P1 and P4, I do not have time to touch P5 yet, knowing it's a pretty big time sink.
The thing is I think CS1 just sort like a Persona wannabe. As you know, Persona story is interesting not because of its school setting, but the interesting charaters and the theme of human pyschology as well, it's unique and one of its kind.
Not to mention, the school setting is the focus of Persona games, while the school setting in CS1 more or less feel like filler stuff. The real problems is that the main plot is dragged too much, they could easily put the story of CS1 and CS2 into one game, that will be much better pacing IMHO